Why is it that out of the 8GB memory on my Q5 I only get 4 GB usable memory?

Just wanted to know that in the memory storage it shows that the phone has a total of 6GB memory of which 2GB is taken up the system, so if the system is already taking 2GB of memory then what is taking up other 2GB that the device memory is showing only 6GB? Sorry if its a stupid question, just wanted to know.

Hi, BlackBerry Q5 has 8gb internal memory, 2 is taken by the system and you should have 6gb free.... I think your question is a bit confusing because you say it has 6gb so os is using 2gb but shows 6gb free?

I think things are in GiB, not GB. For example, my Z30 says it has 3.77 GB used and 9.41 GB free, adding to around 13.2 GB of usable space. Now, the 16 GB internal memory (16 billion bytes, 1000 bytes/kilobyte, 1000 kilobytes/megabyte, 1000 megabytes/gigabyte) is actually 14.9 GiB (1024 bytes/kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes/megabyte, 1024 megabytes/gigabyte). So if the Device Monitor is reporting in GiB, then the difference is 1.7 GiB, which is about the size of the OS, I think.

I think things are in GiB, not GB. For example, my Z30 says it has 3.77 GB used and 9.41 GB free, adding to around 13.2 GB of usable space. Now, the 16 GB internal memory (16 billion bytes, 1000 bytes/kilobyte, 1000 kilobytes/megabyte, 1000 megabytes/gigabyte) is actually 14.9 GiB (1024 bytes/kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes/megabyte, 1024 megabytes/gigabyte). So if the Device Monitor is reporting in GiB, then the difference is 1.7 GiB, which is about the size of the OS, I think.

Wow you give a lot of numbers.
Headache now .
But it is so.
I have 16Gb internal storage and about 3 almost 4 in use because that is in use for your software and not to forget the rest of your system because if it use nothing you have nothing.
It is your software and the apps that already are in your phone.

Hi, BlackBerry Q5 has 8gb internal memory, 2 is taken by the system and you should have 6gb free.... I think your question is a bit confusing because you say it has 6gb so os is using 2gb but shows 6gb free?

Final answer is total 8gb, os uses 2gb and you have 6gb free

Posted via CB10

Sorry my post is a little confusing. Basically after excluding the memory taken up by the OS, I am only getting 4GB free. But I guess I should be getting 6 GB

I think things are in GiB, not GB. For example, my Z30 says it has 3.77 GB used and 9.41 GB free, adding to around 13.2 GB of usable space. Now, the 16 GB internal memory (16 billion bytes, 1000 bytes/kilobyte, 1000 kilobytes/megabyte, 1000 megabytes/gigabyte) is actually 14.9 GiB (1024 bytes/kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes/megabyte, 1024 megabytes/gigabyte). So if the Device Monitor is reporting in GiB, then the difference is 1.7 GiB, which is about the size of the OS, I think.

I think things are in GiB, not GB. For example, my Z30 says it has 3.77 GB used and 9.41 GB free, adding to around 13.2 GB of usable space. Now, the 16 GB internal memory (16 billion bytes, 1000 bytes/kilobyte, 1000 kilobytes/megabyte, 1000 megabytes/gigabyte) is actually 14.9 GiB (1024 bytes/kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes/megabyte, 1024 megabytes/gigabyte). So if the Device Monitor is reporting in GiB, then the difference is 1.7 GiB, which is about the size of the OS, I think.

I think things are in GiB, not GB. For example, my Z30 says it has 3.77 GB used and 9.41 GB free, adding to around 13.2 GB of usable space. Now, the 16 GB internal memory (16 billion bytes, 1000 bytes/kilobyte, 1000 kilobytes/megabyte, 1000 megabytes/gigabyte) is actually 14.9 GiB (1024 bytes/kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes/megabyte, 1024 megabytes/gigabyte). So if the Device Monitor is reporting in GiB, then the difference is 1.7 GiB, which is about the size of the OS, I think.

Wow you give a lot of numbers.
Headache now .
But it is so.
I have 16Gb internal storage and about 3 almost 4 in use because that is in use for your software and not to forget the rest of your system because if it use nothing you have nothing.
It is your software and the apps that already are in your phone.

I think things are in GiB, not GB. For example, my Z30 says it has 3.77 GB used and 9.41 GB free, adding to around 13.2 GB of usable space. Now, the 16 GB internal memory (16 billion bytes, 1000 bytes/kilobyte, 1000 kilobytes/megabyte, 1000 megabytes/gigabyte) is actually 14.9 GiB (1024 bytes/kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes/megabyte, 1024 megabytes/gigabyte). So if the Device Monitor is reporting in GiB, then the difference is 1.7 GiB, which is about the size of the OS, I think.

A Gigabyte in SI units based on base 10 (decimal) numbering system is 1 followed by 9 zeros i.e. 1,000,000,000.

A Gibibyte in computing which is based on base 2 (binary) numbering system is bigger than the SI decimal version of the Gigabyte coming in at 1,073,741,824.

In some cases when talking about computer memory or storage when any figures in GB are quoted they actually refer to the Gibibyte amount.

Binary numbers only have 2 states, 1 or 0, so can only increase in size by 2. Hence binary numbers build up instead of like the decimal system by increasing by power 10 i.e. units, tens, hundreds, thousands etc, but by increasing by power of 2 all the time i.e. 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 etc. Double the numbers from 1 by the power of 2 this way 30 times and you get 1,073,741,824 which is a Gibibyte.

In short their are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those that understand binary numbers, and those that don't. ; )